Deep Eddy releases Ruby Red Vodka

Deep Eddy Vodka, champions of easygoing summer sipping, have released a new vodka to their portfolio (you might already be familiar with their straight vodka and Sweet Tea vodka).

Labeled as “grapefruit-infused vodka,” Ruby Red is made from Texas sweet corn and sweetened with cane sugar and grapefruits from Texas, California and Florida. It’s distilled 10 times, and filtered through charcoal four times before bottling.

Deep Eddy’s PR firm dropped off a sample for me to try. I was surprised by how much the aroma resembled that of a bottled grapefruit soda.

When sipped on ice, the clean white sugar sweetener and fresh grapefruit flavor masks much of the alcoholic bite the standard vodka has. In the world of flavored vodkas, this one is actually quite nice.

While it was really easy to drink on ice, I wanted to see if it would taste like grapefruit soda with some carbonation. When paired with club soda (I used Topo Chico which also worked just fine), and a splash of lime juice, the sugars of the spirit lengthened and balanced out, creating a simple, easy to make, but tasty highball. I added a bit of tequila for an earthy note, and the resemblance to a Paloma was striking.

The company is calling the club soda/vodka mix a Southbound Greyhound. They recommend 3 parts Ruby Red to 1 part club soda. Garnish with lime or grapefruit. They provided several other recipes, one of which I’ve listed below. Personally, I wouldn’t want to add any other sweet element to the spirit without evening out the sugar with something dry like bitters or another spirit.

The vodka is available now across the state.

Fresca Rojo

1 oz. Deep Eddy Ruby Red

1 oz. 100% agave silver tequila

2 oz. fresh watermelon juice

1 oz. Fresca/Sprite

Rim with Chile Salt

In a shaker, combine first 3 ingredients and fill with ice. Shake and straing into glass with fresh ice. Top with Fresca.